Kevin Durant’s Honest Statement After Embarrassing Loss vs. Clippers

The Clippers were up by as many as 37 points.

Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday night was arguably the most unexpected game of the season for both the LA Clippers and Phoenix Suns. Without Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, the LA Clippers found themselves up 37 points on the road against a Phoenix Suns team playing Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal.

At one point, the Clippers were up by as many as 31 points in the first quarter, with a score of 35-4. Kevin Durant called the first quarter a snowball of bad events.

“I mean we started off two for 19 or two for 20, it's always frustrating," Durant said. "They were getting out in transition and hitting threes. It was just a snowball of bad events. That was the game: 37 to 10. Rest of the three quarters, we might have won those three quarters, I do not remember. But that first quarter, we just could not make a shot and they were knocking down everything."

Despite the horrific start, the Phoenix Suns somehow found a way to claw back into the game during the second half. They even closed the deficit to as many as 7 points before ultimately losing by 13 points. The Suns outscored the Clippers 59-39 in the second half, but it didn't matter because of how rough the first quarter was.

“Yeah, it was tough. In the second half, we saw the ball go in and that got our crowd and us going," Durant said. "We were able to get back into the game, cut it to seven after being down by almost 40 points. So, we just made more shots in the second half. We forced them to turn the ball over too, so we were able to get out in transition. That is the formula for us right there. The first quarter sunk us, that is the reason we lost.”

Tuesday night's embarrassing loss for the Suns was an important win for the Clippers. LA has now won the Pacific Division, and clinched a spot in the playoffs. One more win, and the Clippers will clinch the fourth seed.

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